Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar chairs review meeting on use of 'AI' in agriculture sector

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 3 (ANI): In order to increase the production of farmers and save on their production costs, it is mandatory to use artificial intelligence ('AI') in agriculture in the coming days.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday directed the Agriculture Department to coordinate with the Cooperation Department and check the technical and financial feasibility of this project.
To bring about a revolution in the lives of farmers in the state, the use of artificial intelligence ('AI') in agriculture is under consideration.
A meeting was organised in the committee room of the Deputy Chief Minister's Office in the Ministry under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the agriculture sector in the state.
On this occasion, the State Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Minister of State for Agriculture Ashish Jaiswal (via video conferencing), Minister of State for Cooperation Pankaj Bhoyar, President of All India Grape Vinegar Plantation Association Kailas Patil, Additional Chief Secretary of Planning Department and Development Commissioner Rajagopal Deora, Principal Secretary (Expenditure) of Finance Department Saurabh Vijay, Principal Secretary of Agriculture Department Vikas Chandra Rastogi, Agriculture Commissioner Suraj Mandhare, Sugar Commissioner Kunal Khemnar, Project Director of Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Project Parimal Singh, Joint Secretary of Cooperation Department Santosh Patil, Baramati Krishi Vigyan Kendra Prof. Nilesh Nalawade, Prof. Yogesh Phatke, Prof. Tushar Jadhav, and Prof. Sharad Tate were present.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that revolutionary changes are taking place in every sector of the world due to the use of artificial intelligence.
The agricultural sector is no exception to this. In the coming time, changing weather, untimely rains, frequent outbreaks of diseases on crops, and shortage of labourers, there is no alternative to artificial intelligence in the agricultural sector to increase the production of farmers and save on their production costs.
The use of artificial intelligence in the agricultural sector will make it possible to analyse crop health, find out the carbon content in the soil, provide detailed information on soil health, identify the type of weeds, compare previous yields, measure soil temperature, measure atmospheric humidity, identify the incidence of pests and diseases on crops, and identify biotic and abiotic stresses on crops.
The use of artificial intelligence technology will increase crop production, save on labour costs, reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, increase harvesting efficiency, save through disease control, increase efficiency in the supply chain and reduce overall costs.
The use of artificial intelligence on an experimental basis in the agricultural sector is under consideration to bring about positive and radical changes in the lives of farmers in the state.
For this, Pawar directed that the Agriculture Department should coordinate with the Cooperation Department and examine the technical and financial feasibility of this project. (ANI)